Protected: RESIDENTIAL PERFORMANCE COMPANY (RPC) – INFORMATION PAGE
Welcome
Welcome to National Youth Ballet’s Residential Performance Company 2025!
We are so excited to welcome you – it’s going to be a very exciting season!
This year’s season, ‘Echoes of Tomorrow’, invites the whole company to explore powerful themes of sustainability and our connection to the natural world through dance. You’ll have the opportunity to develop your technical abilities, collaborate with exceptional artists, and experience what it’s like to be part of a professional ballet company. You’ll work with inspiring choreographers, learn new approaches, and have the opportunity to grow together as young artists.
We’re delighted to introduce you to the 2025 Artistic Team:
Creating New Works:
- Louise Bennett
- Monique Jonas
- Lachlan Monaghan
- Róisín Whelan
Beyond Ballet® Artists:
- Beyond Ballet® Choreographers: Eli Bryan, Honor Dixon, Jess Yeo
- Beyond Ballet® Rehearsal Director: Gabrielle de Souza Jacque
Repertoire Revivals:
- Swing Time – Choreographed by Ruth Armstrong, Rehearsal Director: Lukas Hunt
- The Red Balloon – Choreographed by Emily-Jane Boyle, Re-stager: Ciara Clayton
- Utopia – Choreographed by Charlie Brittain, Re-stager: Kaine Ward
- Excerpts of ‘Merlin’ by Northern Ballet – Choreographed by Drew McOnie, Re-stager: Carrie Johnson
This year, every company member will dance in two pieces – one New Work and one Repertoire piece.
We believe this will give you the chance to experience different creative processes, discover your strengths, and challenge yourself to adapt to a range of approaches.
You’ll also take part in daily warm-up classes, rehearsals, and creative sessions designed to reflect life in a professional ballet company. Plus, our Moving Minds sessions will offer strategies to support your wellbeing and help you grow as an artist.
In the evenings, there’ll be lots of fun too – including Workshops, Movie Nights, live Q&As, and the much-loved NYB Costume Party!
At the end of the week, on Saturday 16th August, you’ll share both of your pieces at Elmhurst Studio Theatre, in front of your friends, family, and some very special industry guests!
Pre-Loved Dancewear Sale – Supporting Sustainability & the NYB Relevé Appeal
As part of our commitment to sustainability, we’re excited to host a Pre-Loved Dancewear Sale at Elmhurst Ballet School. It’s a brilliant way to give well-loved dancewear a second life, reduce waste, and raise funds for the NYB Relevé Appeal, which helps more young dancers to access opportunities with NYB.
We’re inviting all company members to donate any clean, good-quality dancewear that they no longer use. Please bring any items with you and drop them into the donation box on the first day of the residential.
The sale will run throughout the week and will include special donations from professional dancers, members of the NYB team, and your fellow company members!
Choreographic Showcase
We’d love for you to take part in this year’s Choreographic Showcase!
It’s a brilliant opportunity to experiment with your own creative voice.
Past participants include Olivier Award-winning choreographers Drew McOnie and Arielle Smith.
You’ll get to use the brilliant Elmhurst Studio Theatre to bring your ideas to life and receive feedback from the NYB team.
More to come…
We will update this page in the coming weeks to include your:
- Class lists
- Cast lists
- Merchandise information and order form
- Ticket link for the end of course sharings
- Get to know Elmhurst Ballet School (Photo information sheet and map)
We will send you an email to confirm once these have been added.
We hope this experience gives you the space and support to try new things, the inspiration to imagine your next steps, and the confidence to recognise the value you already have.
Everything you need for the course can be found on this webpage but if you have any questions or concerns, please get in touch at admin@nationalyouthballet.org and we will be happy to help!
We are really looking forward to working with you and can’t wait to welcome you to the NYB family!
Best wishes,
Amelia O’Hara (Artistic Director, NYB Residential Performance Company) and the NYB Team
Emergency Contact Details
If you need to contact National Youth Ballet in an emergency during the course the number to call is 07598 827621. A member of our team will have this phone with them at all times. Please do not call prior to the start of the course. Any queries prior to this date should be sent to admin@nationalyouthballet.org.
Useful Information
Information for Participants and Parents (click on the headings below to be taken to the specific information):
Photo (c) Lachlan Monaghan
Schedule
Elmhurst Arrival and Registration
Registration for the Residential Performance Company is in the Main Foyer of Elmhurst Ballet School, 249 Bristol Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B5 7UH, on the following times and dates:
- Sunday 10th August 2025:
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- 14:00 – 14:30 Dancers aged 16 – 18
- 14:30 – 15:00 Dancers aged 13 – 15
- 15:00 – 15:30 Dancers aged 9 – 12
Medication
We understand that some young people may need to take medication during the residential. Please ensure you have provided written consent by completing the Medical Needs section of the RPC Participation Questionnaire. We will also ask you to review and update this information closer to the residential date.
All medication must be handed to our Support Team Healthcare Worker, Surya Gupta-Wright, upon arrival. To ensure safety, medication must be in its original container or packaging as dispensed by a pharmacist, clearly labelled with your child’s name. It must also include clear instructions regarding dosage, administration, and storage.
Please note that no medication can be administered without parent/carer consent.
Merchandise
Pre-purchased merchandise will be available for collection at a scheduled time later during the first evening. We will remind dancers to write their name on their new items using laundry markers provided.
Mobile Phones and Electronic Devices
Mobile phones are permitted as per our Phones and Electronic Devices policy. Participants aged 12 and under will be asked to hand in all electronic devices on arrival. Please place these in a clearly labelled transparent food/sandwich bag to hand in to the pastoral team. These will be stored safely and returned by house parents every day after dinner for use before bedtime and again in the mornings between 07:00 and 08:00.
Luggage
Please arrive dressed comfortably for a Welcome Meeting, Moving Minds and a Pilates session. Once checked in, there will be time to take suitcases across to your boarding house before the Welcome Meeting at 16:00.
Draft Participant Timetable for the week – This is subject to change. Class lists and cast lists will be provided in coming weeks.
Parking
Elmhurst has a small car park with a limited number of accessible spaces at the top of the drive. If you require an accessible space please email admin@nationalyouthballet.org ahead of the residential.
There is additional nearby pay and display car parking available at the MAC Birmingham (Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham, B12 9QH).
Elmhurst Departure
Sign-out will take place from 17:00 on Saturday 16th August. Please arrive promptly to pick up your young people if you are not already on site for the Sharing of Work.
All dancers will need to be signed out by a team member at Reception before they leave. If participants aged 16–18 will be leaving the residential unaccompanied, please complete the permission form included in the information pack.
Infectious Disease Outbreak Management Plan
NYB has an Infectious Disease Outbreak Management Plan. This includes guidelines on how NYB will manage cases of infectious illness. Please note participants who are showing the symptoms of an infectious disease or have been diagnosed by a health professional or a diagnostic test will contact NYB prior to travelling to the residential and should not attend the residential for the minimum period recommended, if required, and until well enough. People with mild respiratory symptoms such as a runny nose, sore throat, or slight cough who are otherwise well and do not have a high temperature can attend the course, but NYB should be informed on arrival. It may be necessary for the participant to return home if they become unwell with an infectious disease or if they are at higher risk of contracting an infectious disease e.g. clinical vulnerability. In such cases, we will refer to the guidance in the Outbreak Management Plan.
Important Information for Non-Residential Dancers
For those attending as non-residential dancers, here are a few key things to note:
- First Day Arrival: On the first day, please arrive at the allocated time for your age group.
- Daily Sign-In: From Monday to Saturday, please sign in at the Elmhurst foyer at 8:30am each morning.
- Meals: Lunch is included in your fee. If you’d like to stay for dinner, you can either bring a packed meal or arrange to pay an additional catering fee.
- Daily Sign-Out: At the end of each day, you must sign out with a house parent when being collected.
- Evening Activities: You’re welcome to join our fun evening activities, including Movie Night, Q&As and the NYB Costume Party!
If you have any questions or need to arrange dinner options, please get in touch at admin@nationalyouthballet.org.
Important Information
Click the links below to view and/or download as a pdf file:
Frank Freeman Showcase Competition
Class Lists (Will be added at a later date)
Cast Lists (Will be added at a later date)
Photo (c) Lachlan Monaghan
Forms to complete
Click the links below to complete each form:
Participant Questionnaire by Friday 30th May
Measurements form by Friday 30th May
Headshots form by Friday 30th May
Phones and Electronic Devices form by Monday 30th June
Frank Freeman Choreographic Showcase entry form (optional) by Tuesday 12th August, 12.30pm
Frank Freeman Choreographic Showcase Music Upload (optional) by Tuesday 12th August, 12.30pm
Photo (c) Lachlan Monaghan
Payment Deadlines
Payment Deadlines (unless a payment plan is in place):
If you have chosen to pay in installments please make a note of the following payment deadlines:
Saturday 31st May 2025 – Payment 1
Monday 30th June 2025 – Payment 2
Policies and Guidelines
The Residential Performance Company is a NUT FREE ZONE. Please do not bring food containing nuts to Elmhurst or the performance venues. This includes pine nuts, peanut butter, cashew nut butter, almond butter and hazelnut spread (Nutella). Please also be aware that some food items might also contain nuts like cereal bars.